LETTER 425.  TO MR. MURRAY.

     “May 14. 1821.

“A Milan paper states that the play has been represented and universally condemned.  As remonstrance has been vain, complaint would be useless.  I presume, however, for your own sake (if not for mine), that you and my other friends will have at least published my different protests against its being brought upon the stage at all; and have shown that Elliston (in spite of the writer) forced it upon the theatre.  It would be nonsense to say that this has not vexed me a good deal, but I am not dejected, and I shall not take the usual resource of blaming the public (which was in the right), or my friends for not preventing—­what they could not help, nor I neither—­a forced representation by a speculating manager.  It is a pity that you did not show them its unfitness for the stage before the play was published, and exact a promise from the managers not to act it.  In case of their refusal, we would not have published it at all.  But this is too late.

     “Yours.

“P.S.  I enclose Mr. Bowles’s letters:  thank him in my name for their candour and kindness.—­Also a letter for Hodgson, which pray forward.  The Milan paper states that I ’brought forward the play!!!’ This is pleasanter still.  But don’t let yourself be worried about it; and if (as is likely) the folly of Elliston checks the sale, I am ready to make any deduction, or the entire cancel of your agreement.

     “You will of course not publish my defence of Gilchrist, as,
     after Bowles’s good humour upon the subject, it would be too
     savage.

     “Let me hear from you the particulars; for, as yet, I have only the
     simple fact.

“If you knew what I have had to go through here, on account of the failure of these rascally Neapolitans, you would be amused; but it is now apparently over.  They seemed disposed to throw the whole project and plans of these parts upon me chiefly.”

* * * * *

LETTER 426.  TO MR. MOORE.

     “May 14. 1821.

“If any part of the letter to Bowles has (unintentionally, as far as I remember the contents) vexed you, you are fully avenged; for I see by an Italian paper that, notwithstanding all my remonstrances through all my friends (and yourself among the rest), the managers persisted in attempting the tragedy, and that it has been ‘unanimously hissed!!’ This is the consolatory phrase of the Milan paper, (which detests me cordially, and abuses me, on all occasions, as a Liberal,) with the addition that I ’brought the play out’ of my own good will.

“All this is vexatious enough, and seems a sort of dramatic Calvinism—­predestined damnation, without a sinner’s own fault.